Animal treatment for being a fan

Until 11 September last year, the police were rather admired in the Meyers household.

Until 11 September last year, the police were rather admired in the Meyers household.

All that changed on Reading station in southern England, when Tony Meyers, a firefighter, was forced to watch as officers handcuffed his son, 20-year-old Tommy, forced him on to the ground, and set a police dog on him. The dog bit into Tommy's face and the injuries will be with him for life, partly because the police refused him access to antibiotics for 14 hours, leading to an infection.

"They think they are above everyone else. I have no faith at all in the police." Tony said.

On that day last September, Tony and his two sons, all Crystal Palace supporters, set off for an English league away match at Reading, which Palace lost 3-0. After the match there was some aggravation between police and Palace fans.

An officer, PC Jonathan, says he was assaulted by Tommy and kept his eye on him for the next 10 minutes. He approached the family while a dog handler, Jamie Gilson, deliberately deployed his dog while Tommy was on the ground.

The dog embedded its teeth millimetres below his eye, and just behind his ear.

Tommy was taken to the hospital, where he was given 30 stitches and antibiotics were dispensed but not administered. He was taken to the police station, where he was not allowed the antibiotics until about 10.30 the next morning, He was later charged with the assault on McHugh and with resisting arrest. By the time he was allowed to take the antibiotics, they were not effective. Today, Tommy has permanent nerve damage, his voice is now muffled and doctors have advised a further operation.